Married Step Roberts
Step Roberts was the son of Morris Roberts and wife Elizabeth, maiden name likely Step. Joshua Stap [sic, Step] left a will in Henrico Co, VA, dated 23 Dec 1689 and recorded 1 Apr 1695 [WD 1688-1697:560] in which he named son Joshua (whose birth date is actually listed in the will as 14 Aug 1685) and daughter Elizabeth, under 15.
Morris Roberts left a will in Henrico Co, VA dated 7 Feb 1724/5 [1725 New Style] and recorded 4 Oct 1725 [MISC 1650-1807 Part 2:639] in which he names wife Elizabeth, daughter Sarah Roberts, and four sons, all under 21 - Morris, Step, John & Joshua. The proof that Roberts researchers use to prove Morris Roberts married Elizabeth Step are fact his wife was named Elizabeth in his will, and he named sons Joshua and Step. The name Step re-occurred in this Roberts family, with several male descendants named Step, sometimes rendered as Stap or Stapp. It was sometimes mistakenly thought to be an abbreviation for Stephen, so written as "Step.", "Steph.", or expanded fully to Stephen, but it was always really Step, after ancestor Elizabeth Step Roberts. Step Roberts, son of Martha Womack Roberts, was listed as Stephen Robards in early decrees of the Charlotte Co, VA court concerning the estate of William Womack.
Martha Womack was listed in the will of her father Thomas Womack dated 1734 (New Style), and as Martha Roberts in the will of her mother, Mary Farley Womack, in 1750, indicating she was married to a Mr Roberts by 1750.
John Roberts bought and sold land from Mary Womack and Francis Womack, the mother and brother of Martha Womack Roberts, so it was thought John Roberts was husband of Martha. The area of Henrico Co in which the Womacks and Roberts lived became Chesterfield Co in 1749. When John Roberts of Dale Parish, Chesterfield Co, sold land to John Ellis in 1750, John Roberts' wife was recorded as Sussana [TODO - get full citation.] In depositions given in Henrico Court, Sep 1744, John Roberts aged 25 and Susanna Roberts aged 21, gave depositions in a trial [Henrico Co, VA OB 1737-1744:276].
Other brothers, Morris and Joshua Roberts, remained in Chesterfield Co, VA, and are well-documented.
When William Womack died in 1790 with no children, most of his estate was divided between his nine siblings, who, together with William, were the same ten children listed in the wills of Thomas Womack and his widow Mary Farley Womack. By the time William Womack's estate was split, many of his siblings were dead. James Dupuy and Asa Dupuy were appointed by the Charlotte Co, VA court to distribute the money from the estate among all the heirs, including the children of Martha Roberts, sister of William Womack. The Asa Dupuy papers concerning the estate of William Womack are extensive, and offer much information on this Roberts family, but do not list the name of Martha Womack Roberts' husband, though they list all her children and many grandchildren.
Although Step Roberts sold some land in Henrico and Chesterfield Counties, none of these deeds include his wife's name. The records definitively linking Martha to Step are in land records of Halifax Co, VA. Step Roberts received a Virginia land patent in Halifax for 357 acres in 1783, and a few weeks later, Step Roberts, designated from Amelia Co, sold 178 acres, leaving 179 acres; the deed was witnessed by son-in-law William Chandler. In 1793 and 1797, the Sheriff of Halifax Co sold 45 and 90 acres for non-payment of taxes for 1787, 1788 & 1789, leaving 44 acres. Finally, in 1799, Martha Roberts sold the remaining 43 acres (off by 1 acre due to various rounding errors) of the land of Step Roberts deceased. Although the deed does not explicitly state Martha was Step's widow, this seems obvious. So, Martha Womack Roberts was alive in January 1799.
Virginia Land Patents, Book H, p.475 - Stap Roberts, 1 Sep 1783, Halifax County, 357 acres on branches of Bradleys & Spider Creek, by survey dated 5 Dec 1769, James Hodges corner, Edward Deans corner, Owen Bradleys corner.
Halifax Co, VA DB 12:407 - Deed 20 Oct 1783, Stapp Roberts of Amelia Co to Micajah Hampton of Halifax Co, for 40#, 178 acres, part of a patent, in Halifax Co on Spider Creek, Bartlett Gwinns line, Deans line. Signed Stap Robeads. Wit Joseph Collins, William Chandler, Anderson Fambrough. 20 Oct 1783 Livery of Seisin, same witnesses. Halifax Court 18 Mar 1784, proved by oaths of witnesses.
Halifax Co, VA DB 15:535 - Deed 28 Jan 1793, William Terry Sheriff of Halifax Co to David Cheatham of Halifax Co, 45 acres in Halifax Co sold off the land of Step Roberts, Hamptons line, for taxes for the year 1787. Signed Wm Terry Shff. Wit Hines Holt, Will Hall, Geo Barnett. Halifax Court 25 Feb 1793, acknowledged by William Terry as Sheriff.
Halifax Co, VA DB 17:331 - Deed 23 Oct 1797, William Terry Sheriff of Halifax to William Call surviving partner of Field & Call, for 6/4/2#, 90 acres in Halifax sold off from the land of Step Roberts for non payment of taxes due for years 1788 & 1789, purchased by Melchezedick Spragins and Shockley [?] Turner who requested the Sheriff sell the land to William Call. Signed Wm Terry Sheriff. No witnesses. Halifax Court 23 Oct 1797. acknowledged by William Terry Sheriff.
Halifax Co, VA DB 18:151 - Deed 10 Jan 1799, Martha Roberts of Halifax Co to Lewis Priddy for 13#, 43 acres, being part of the land of Step Roberts deceased in Halifax Co bounded by lands of Mathew Farmer & James Brooks. Signed Martha her X mark Roberts. Wit: George Brooks, Mathew Farmer, Micajah Sims, George Preddy, James Brooks. Halifax Court 25 Feb 1799, proved by oaths of two witnesses [not named]. 24 June 1799 further proved by oath of one other witness [not named].